Garment-clasp.



H. H. TAYLOR. GARMENT CLASP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1903.

Patented Jan zs, 1909.

nvewtoz Witnesses ii fifg UNITED STATES PATEN FFTQLFQ.

HENRY H. TAYLOR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

GABWEENT-CLASP.

Application filed August 4, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment- Olasps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in garment clasps, of the button and loop type, in which the loop element is provided with an opening large at the upper end to admit the button and contracted at the lower end so that the button with the fabric therearound may be drawn into the contracted portion of the element. But my improvement has articular reference to the construction of the loop of the clasp and has for its object to equip the lower end of the loop with rubber in such manner that all the strain shall come against a yielding surface not reinforced or backed by any rigid element.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims which conclude this description.

In the accompanying drawing Figures 1 and 2 are elevations showing a garment clasp constructed in accordance with my improve ment in unclasped and clasped condition respectively Fig. 3 a section at the line :0, 0c, of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a detail elevation of the loop element showing a slight modification of my improvement.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In clasps of this description the fabric is placed over the head of the button, introduced through the enlarged portion of the loop and then drawn down within the contracted ortion, but the fabric thus clamped frequent ly becomes cut or torn at the point where it is wedged between the shank of the button and the lower end of the loop. The loop has heretofore been equipped with rubber to overcome this defect, but in such instances the rubber has merely enveloped the lower metal portion of the loop so that such rubber has merely acted as a cushion between two metal surfaces. My improvement not only prevents the cutting or tearing of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Serial No. 446,879.

fabric to be clamped but also materially aids in the firm holding of the fabric when under great strain, and will be best understood from the following description.

1 is the button plate, 2 the button carried thereby, and 3 the tape which carries said plate and is secured in the usual manner to the main webbing 4.

The loop element is made partly of metal and partly of rubber, the upper portion 5 being made wholly of metal and secured to the webbing 4 and contains the enlarged opening 6 to admit the button and a portion 7 of the contracted opening down which the button is drawn in its clamping position. The lower portion 8 of the loop is made wholly of rubber and is secured to the metal portion 5 by means of ears 9 which extend from the metal portion and are clamped firmly to the rubber element. The lower portion 10 of the contracted part of the opening in the loop is contained wholly within the rubber element 8 and is of such length that when the shank of the button is in its clamping osition it will be Wholly contained within t e rubber ele ment.

When the metal and rubber portions of my improved loop are secured together in the manner above described, the portions of the contracted opening contained within said metal and rubber will coincide so that there can be no obstruction to the free passage of the button shank.

When strain is brought to bear upon a fab ric that is clamped by means of my improved clas the fabric will be drawn firmly against the ottom of the rubber element which latter will slightly yield and will of course offer no rigid opposition to such strain,and as the rubber element is elongated under strain the side walls of the o ening in such element will contract and will t liereby tightly hug the fabric around the shank of the button thus greatly contributing toward the holding gualities of the clasp without in the slightest egree injuring the fabric.

The walls of the opening in the rubber element may be serrated, if desired, as shown at 11 in Fig. 4 to increase the gripping qualities of the rubber. Also, my invention contemplates the use of felt, leather, or any material, other than metal, which is of a yielding nature and possesses more or less elasticity and which may be used instead of the rubber with fairly good results.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters at the bottom, while the sides and end of the Patent is lower part of said loop are formed wholly of 1. A garment clas comprising a button rubber which is secured to the metal portion 15 element and a 100 e ement, the upper part and has an opening which coincides with the of the latter forrne wholly of metal while the contracted opening in said metal portion. sides and ends of the lower part are formed I In testimony whereof I itffiX my signature wholly of rubber. 1 h in presence of two witnesses.

2. In a arment c as t e combination m with thebut tonelemenm f aloopmadepartly I HENRY LAYLOR" of metal and partly of rubber, the upper part 'Witnesses: of said loop bein formed of metal having an I F. W. SMITH, Jr., opening enlarged at the top and contracted j M. T.- LONGDEN. 

